Movie Review-Produce your own damn movie

Plot- A few years ago, Lloyd Kaufman wrote a book about making your own film. Where he was teaching just an average joe on a shoestring budget how to be a film director. Now, we are back with a producing dvd…When it comes to producing, give Lloyd his due he has made gold out of coin to us Troma fans. And this is yet another study guide or help aid or documentary how just an average joe can take a few dollars and produce something for people like me to review and tear apart or praise.

Review-In the last few years, people have been pushing back the curtain and being curious as to how indie films are being made so well for so little. Troma are the front runners in this, as they take a concept and with limited budget and very low funding create something like a Toxic Avenger. I mean Lloyd’s resume speaks for itself, and in terms of who he got on the map. This has interviews with people who are very informative as to what they did to keep their film and vision afloat. He interviews another king of the less is more school, Roger Corman. The interview to me was both witty and really helpful as to what the vision of his films were and how hard it is for people to do things on limited budgets. Also you get interviews with Dante, Roth, Stan Lee and etc. This documentary seems like a ” can do” speech from a business speaker, that is talking hard sell to me a lot- that it all starts here and that anything can happen if you work hard and are persistent.

This documentary gives you tips on how to raise funds for a film, and not to be intimidated by anything..to work your way into it. The interviews were not corny, and were actually more insightful than preachy. My only problem is with things like this, where are the ones who did not succeed. This preaches all the ones who made good, and what it will allow you to do and how famous you could become..but it does not talk about the other side of the coin and the ones who have been doing this for years and years and have not made it even though they followed the formula to the tee. It almost makes you think if you listen it will work for you, and that in a way is not the whole truth. While it is safe to think it is, and that we can all go from a little indie film to making 50 million a season for South Park or doing a Hostel for 2 million if we listen and work hard. My main gripe is what about the ones who make a indie film for their life savings and nothing comes of it and they are back to looking for a job. I think this part of the deal, would make things like this a little more realistic and more factual. It touches briefly on that aspect, but I think it should have been more in the main focal point of the hard sell to us story than what it comes across sometimes. But, that being said, this was a fun trip with Lloyd as our tour guide thru how to get this done and make good…though, by the end, it is like watching a self help how to infomercial that can help you get a career if you desire it and the results are all what you want to hear….it was fun for what it was and it is very Troma for sure. As a whole, I think this is a good little fun tool to help you aspiring producers get your feet wet.